Job Discussion Forums

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

That's pretty low...claiming that people who don't agree with you do so simply because they see you as a newcomer? C'mon, you can do better than that. At least have the integrity to realize that people have ideas that are different from yours and are just as willing to defend them with passion.

cangringo · Joined: 18 Jan 2007 Posts: 327 Location: Vancouver, Canada

I forgot to say...Ben, while i realize I haven't been here long comparitively I did say say that I was talking about the teachers I've witnessed here although I find it hard to believe that they don't explain things in Spanish, it's too easy not too.

That's like saying that a Spanish/French/German teacher who is a native English speaker is going to teach solely in Spanish or French or whatever language. I have never seen it done but that's not to say that it hasn't been.

Oh and as for my en ingles por favor, that's what I say as I'm laughing to encourage them to explain in English. I wasn't the one that said I had a strictly English classroom, only that I try to keep them from explaining in English. Sometimes it's easier to do vocab with the Spanish word because there's no way to explain it or they just aren't understanding. I just said I prefer it to be in English.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

BRdB wrote:

sarliz · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Jalisco

I hate to reactivate this thread after everyone seems to have tuckered out of it, but I just read the last three pages and was trying to mull over my feelings. I've only seen a handfull of Mexican English teachers at work (mostly while observing classes as part of TEFL training), but the problem I noticed most was not grammatical issues or busting into Spanish constantly, but rather misusing vocabulary. The one example I specifically remember was calling any top that a female was wearing a blouse (maybe this flies in England?), t-shirts and all. I think there are a lot of wonky vocabulary words like that that take a lot of using to get used to, and aren't covered by grammar rules, you're just gotta recognize them. Or recognize that you don't. I have a colleague (Mexican) who teaches down the hall from me, and we're constantly doing vocab exchanges mid-class. I got to help him with play-pen last week. Apparently "baby cage" wasn't flying. So, yeah. I don't think this is an insurmountable problem, just ask somebody if you're not 100% positive.